Both are Labour candidates

Labour has announced two members of Bexley council will be there candidates for the general election next month.

Danny Hackett, councillor for Lesnes Abbey, has been revealed as the Labour Parliamentary candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup, currently occupied by Tory MP and secretary of state for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire.

The announcement comes following after the former Labour candidate, Trevor Meralls, withdrew his name from the ballot paper amid what he called “a vicious smear campaign” relating to an article written on Buzzfeed.

Liberal Democrat Drew Heffernan and Ukip’s Freddy Vaccha will also be vying to take over what is renowned as a Tory safe seat, having never been under the control of another party.

Bexleyheath and Crayford’s existing MP David Evennett will come up against North End Labour councillor Stefano Borella, who stood for the party in 2015.

Simone Reynolds will be representing the Liberal Democrats at the election, no Ukip candidate has been announced thus far.

In Erith and Thamesmead, Teresa Pearce will be defending the Labour seat, while 2015 Tory candidate Anna Firth is leading the Conservative campaign trail, but no parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives has been announced as yet.